The Land Of Ancient Civilizations: Egypt

With its roots dating back 7,000 years, Egypt is a republic located in North Africa. Egypt, which has hosted many civilisations, is a country where the Nile River, which hasshaped world history, the continents of Asia and Africa meet with the desert on one side and the Mediterranean on the other. Today, the country where civilisations and empires such as Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Sassanid, Ottoman and British ruled in history is called the Arab Republic of Egypt. 

Egypt, which has a surface area of 1,010,000 km2, is one of the most populated countries in Africa, with a population of approximately 104 million. The ethnic structure of thecountry, where the official language is Arabic, and the official religion is Islam, consists of mostly Arabs, Berbers, Bedouins and Nubians. 90% of the population belongs to Islam, and 10% belongs to the Christian (Cyptic) religion.

Egypt, which has a coast on the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, is located as a Middle Eastern country neighbouring Libya in the west, Sudan in the south andPalestine and Israel in the Asian continent. The country, which usually has a hot and dry climate, has two seasons, summer and winter. In the country, where considerable temperature differences are observed between day and night in desert regions, temperatures reach up to 43 degrees in summer.

Among the main items of the Egyptian economy are the world's best quality cotton and the textile sector, which is grown on agricultural lands in the Nile River gulf.With enough oil resources to meet its needs, the tourism sector has also developed due to its rich historical past and geographical attractiveness. Textile, processed food,tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metal, and light manufactured products can be counted among the leading industrial groups in the Egyptian economy, which has a gross domestic product (GDP) of around 363 billion dollars.

Egypt has a rich cuisine with traces of diverse cultures. World-renowned falafel, kunefe and halva, as well as ful, made with pea and bean puree, are among the most famous dishes in the country's cuisine. Capital Cairo, the country's most populous city and Alexandria, Port Said, Luxor, Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab and Suez are the prominent centres. There are too many sightseeing stops in Egypt that cannot be completed in a short time. 

Featured Travel Stops in Egypt

1 Cairo

Cairo, which hosts world-famous pyramids, including the Pyramid of Cheops, determined as one of the seven wonders of the world, is one of the most suitable cities for cultural tourism as it houses many important works of Ancient Egypt with the Great Sphinx of Giza and the Cairo Museum.

2 Luxor

There are dozens of temples, monuments and historical artefacts in Luxor, which is an extensive open-air museum. The city, named after the Luxor Temple on the banks of the Nile River, is a sightseeing spot visited by tourists worldwide.

3 Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh is one of Egypt's most popular travel destinations, with a unique feature for those who love to dive. Sharm El Sheikh has an interesting underwater life and is famous for its shopping centres and entertainment venues.

4 Mehmed Ali Pasha Mosque

Located on a predominant hill in Cairo, Mehmed Ali Pasha Mosque is an important Islamic architectural work built in the 19th century. Reflecting the Baroque and Rococo architectural styles, the Mosque is dedicated to Kavalalı Mehmed Ali Pasha, who ruled Egypt for 150 years.

5 Ras Mohammed National Park

Spreading over an area of 480 km2, Ras Muhammed National Park is an area that gives life to coral reefs and many aquatic creatures. The National Park, taken under protection in 1983 in the region located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, is an indispensable travel stop, especially for tourists curious about marine life.

Ahmet Çağatay Günaltay